could also keep you safe from the rebels?”
“There is ... nobody,” Grania said simply.
“And nowhere on any other island where you could be with friends?”
Grania hung her head.
“I know I am being a ... nuisance to you,” she said, “and I have no ... right to ask you to ... protect me. But at the moment it is difficult to think of ... anything except that I am ... terribly afraid.
She thought as she spoke she was stating her feelings very badly, and what she really wanted to do was to beg the Comte to keep her with him.
Then she knew it was a very reprehensible way to behave when she had only just met him, and he had made it quite clear that she could have no part in his life.
Because she thought he must know what she was thinking she looked up at him and said:
“I am ... sorry ... I am very ... sorry to ask ... this of you.”
He smiled and she felt as if a dozen more lights illuminated the cabin.
“There is nothing to be sorry about from my point of view,” he said, “but I am trying to think of yours.”
He paused before he went on:
“You have your whole life in front of you and if your mother had been alive you would have taken your place in London Society. It is hardly a reasonable alternative to be the only woman aboard a pirate ship.”
“But it is where ... I want to ... be,” Grania said almost beneath her breath.
“Are you quite sure of that?”
“Quite ... quite ... sure.”
She felt an irresistible impulse to rise and go close to him as she had been a few minutes before. She wanted his closeness, his strength, the feeling of security he gave her.
Then, because her yearning to do that was so intense that she felt the colour come into her face, she looked away from him shyly.
As if she had told him what he wanted to know the Comte said:
“Very well. We will leave here at dawn.”
“ Do you mean that ... do you really mean it?” Grania asked.
“God knows if I am doing the right thing,” he answered, “but I have to protect you. That man is not fit to associate with any decent woman.”
Grania gave an exclamation of horror.
“ Suppose he ... finds us? Suppose when he ... realises I am not in the house he comes ... here?”
“That is unlikely,” the Comte said, “and if he does I will deal with him. But it will be impossible to sail before morning without a wind.”
“He will not ... suspect there is a ship in the ... harbour,” Grania said as if she was reassuring herself, and if he does come this way, Abe will warn us.”
“I am sure he will,” the Comte agreed.
“When Mr. Maigrin has ... gone, Abe will bring my ... trunks from ... where he has ... hidden them.”
“I will tell the man on watch to look out for him,” the Comte said and went from the cabin.
When he had gone Grania clasped her hands together and said a prayer of thankfulness.
“Thank you, God, for letting me stay with him! Thank You that the ship was here when I most needed it!”
She thought how terrifying it would have been if to escape from Roderick Maigrin she had had to run off into the jungle alone and hide amid the tropical vegetation.
She had the feeling if she had done so he would somehow have found her. Perhaps with dogs, perhaps instructing his own slaves to search.
“Thank You ... God ... thank You for the ... Comte” she said as she heard his footsteps returning.
He came into the cabin and once again Grania resisted an impulse to run to him and hold onto him to make sure he was really there.
“There are still lights burning in the house,” he said, “so I imagine that your unwelcome visitor has not left.” As he spoke there was a faint whistle from outside.
“I think that is to tell us that Abe is arriving,” he said. Grania jumped to her feet.
“I hope he is all right. I am terribly ... afraid that when Mr. Maigrin finds me ... gone he will vent his ... rage on Abe.”
She followed the Comte out on deck carefully shutting the cabin door behind her.
It
“There is ... nobody,” Grania said simply.
“And nowhere on any other island where you could be with friends?”
Grania hung her head.
“I know I am being a ... nuisance to you,” she said, “and I have no ... right to ask you to ... protect me. But at the moment it is difficult to think of ... anything except that I am ... terribly afraid.
She thought as she spoke she was stating her feelings very badly, and what she really wanted to do was to beg the Comte to keep her with him.
Then she knew it was a very reprehensible way to behave when she had only just met him, and he had made it quite clear that she could have no part in his life.
Because she thought he must know what she was thinking she looked up at him and said:
“I am ... sorry ... I am very ... sorry to ask ... this of you.”
He smiled and she felt as if a dozen more lights illuminated the cabin.
“There is nothing to be sorry about from my point of view,” he said, “but I am trying to think of yours.”
He paused before he went on:
“You have your whole life in front of you and if your mother had been alive you would have taken your place in London Society. It is hardly a reasonable alternative to be the only woman aboard a pirate ship.”
“But it is where ... I want to ... be,” Grania said almost beneath her breath.
“Are you quite sure of that?”
“Quite ... quite ... sure.”
She felt an irresistible impulse to rise and go close to him as she had been a few minutes before. She wanted his closeness, his strength, the feeling of security he gave her.
Then, because her yearning to do that was so intense that she felt the colour come into her face, she looked away from him shyly.
As if she had told him what he wanted to know the Comte said:
“Very well. We will leave here at dawn.”
“ Do you mean that ... do you really mean it?” Grania asked.
“God knows if I am doing the right thing,” he answered, “but I have to protect you. That man is not fit to associate with any decent woman.”
Grania gave an exclamation of horror.
“ Suppose he ... finds us? Suppose when he ... realises I am not in the house he comes ... here?”
“That is unlikely,” the Comte said, “and if he does I will deal with him. But it will be impossible to sail before morning without a wind.”
“He will not ... suspect there is a ship in the ... harbour,” Grania said as if she was reassuring herself, and if he does come this way, Abe will warn us.”
“I am sure he will,” the Comte agreed.
“When Mr. Maigrin has ... gone, Abe will bring my ... trunks from ... where he has ... hidden them.”
“I will tell the man on watch to look out for him,” the Comte said and went from the cabin.
When he had gone Grania clasped her hands together and said a prayer of thankfulness.
“Thank you, God, for letting me stay with him! Thank You that the ship was here when I most needed it!”
She thought how terrifying it would have been if to escape from Roderick Maigrin she had had to run off into the jungle alone and hide amid the tropical vegetation.
She had the feeling if she had done so he would somehow have found her. Perhaps with dogs, perhaps instructing his own slaves to search.
“Thank You ... God ... thank You for the ... Comte” she said as she heard his footsteps returning.
He came into the cabin and once again Grania resisted an impulse to run to him and hold onto him to make sure he was really there.
“There are still lights burning in the house,” he said, “so I imagine that your unwelcome visitor has not left.” As he spoke there was a faint whistle from outside.
“I think that is to tell us that Abe is arriving,” he said. Grania jumped to her feet.
“I hope he is all right. I am terribly ... afraid that when Mr. Maigrin finds me ... gone he will vent his ... rage on Abe.”
She followed the Comte out on deck carefully shutting the cabin door behind her.
It
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